Portable key safe



April 9, 1963 D. A. WILLIAMS 3,084,532

PORTABLE KEY SAFE original Filed sept. 5o, 1960 S/ l `\|o f J7 "y 5 INVENTOR. @H5597 A. l/V/L/A/ws W ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,084,532 PORTABLE KEY SAFE Delbert A. Williams, 1055 Schurman Drive, Salem, Oreg. Original application Sept. 30, 1960, Ser. No. 59,528. Divided and this application Oct. 6, 1961, Ser. No.

2 claims. (c1. 70-63) This invention relates to a portable key safe or the like and has as its primary object the provision of an improved portable safe for containing keys or the like which may be attached in any suitable location for the retention of speciiic keys adjacent the door which they serve.

This application constitutes a division of my co-pending application entitled Portable Key Safe, Serial No. 59,528, tiled September 30, 1960'.

An additional object of the invention is .the provision of such a safe which may be readily moved from place to place and aixed to any desired stationary object.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a safe which will contain a key or keys for various locks, which are adapted to be used by more than one authorized person, so that by carrying a single master key each authorized person will have access to a selected key or keys at the location where it is adapted to be used, thus limiting the number of keys required to be carried by an authorized individual, reducing the possibility of loss of keys thus to a minimum.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a device characterized by means for attaching the key safe to a stationary object.

A further important object of the invention is the pro- 'vision of a key safe which may be readily attached in a specific location for use by inspectors, salesmen, such as real estate salesmen, watchmen, or various personnel authorized to enter any specific locked locality.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein there are disclosed preferred embodiments of this inventive concept.

ln the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one form of safe including attachment means therefor embodying features of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the attaching means of FIG. 1 with the safe removed, a different posi- -tion of adjustment being indicated in dotted lines;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows, parts thereof being broken away;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken `substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. l as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows, the safe being removed.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the safe of the instant invention is generally indicated at S, and comprises a receptacle which has an elongated slot or opening the back thereof through which locking means in a form to be described more fully hereinafter are' adapted to engage, and which also serves as an opening through which keys contained in the receptacle may be released. A nut 14 serves Ito secure a lock barrel 16 to the front of the device. A face plate 15 is positioned exteriorly of the safe and provided with a keyhole opening for the reception of a safe key K'. The key K' is adapted to rotate a 4locking ange-17 which is secured to the lock barrel in rotatable relation by means of the usual 3,084,532 Patented Apr. 9, 1963 bolt 18, the lock barrel and bolt being generally conventional.

The locking attachment comprises a shackle 20 of generally U-shaped configuration having one elongated leg 21 with a stop retainer ring 22 at the end thereof. The leg 21 is provided at an intermediate portion with a channel or groove 23, the purpose of which will be more fully described hereinafter. The opposite leg 24 of the shackle is of less length, and extends into a bore 25 formed by a pair of confronting arcuate recesses in oppositely disposed plates 26 and 27. A corresponding bore 28 extends along the opposite edge of the plates and receives the leg 21. The bore 28 is open at both ends, while the bore 25 is closed at its lower end as indicated at 29 in FIG. 4.

A spa-cer plate 30 is positioned between the plates 26 and 27, and is provided with an internal recess 31, in which is positioned a U-shaped spring 32. A transverse opening 33 extends from recess 31 into alignment with the groove 23 in leg 21, when the latter is in one position of slidable adjustment. The spring 32 is formed at the end `of one of its legs with a substantially perpendicular eyelet 34, which extends outwardly through the plate 27, and which continues to form a locking pin 35 which is adapted to engage in the groove 23 to hold the plate assembly comprised of plates 26 and '27 and their associated mechanism in one position of adjustment relative to the shackle 20.

A locking plate 38 is secured as by means of rivets 39 to the inner `face of plate 27, and is provided at its opposite ends with outwardly extending portions 40 which terminate in reverted flanges 41, either of which is adapted to be engaged selectively by the locking member 17, in accordance with the position of the safe, securely to hold the safe S in xed position relative to the plate assembly. The operating member 34 also extends outwardly through an opening 42 in locking plate 38, as best shown in FIG. 2.

From the foregoing the use and operation of `the device should now be readily understandable. Rotation of the key K releases the flange 17 from its engagement with the reverted tongue 41, which permits the receptacle 10 to be removed from the locking plate 38. After removal, actuation of the operating member 34 releases the pin 35 from its engagement with the groove 23, whereupon the slide may be moved to the dotted line position disclosed in FIG. 2 being stopped by the stop ring 22. At this time the shorter leg 24 of the shackle may be rotated to release the assembly from the member M to which it has been fixedly secured.

Upon removal of the safe the keys contained therein may obviously fall outwardly through the opening 11 to be used for any desired purpose.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved portable key safe Which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made `of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a portable key safe, in combination, a receptacle having a slot therein, a key actuated lock member in said receptacle, a locking plate engageable in said opening, a flange on said plate releasably engaged by said lock member, and means for securing said locking plate to a stationary object, said last-mentioned means comprising a mounting plate having a pair of parallel bores therein secured to said locking plate, a U-shaped shackle having its legs slidably mounted in said bores, and means rice carried by said mounting plate and operable from the face of said locking plate normally covered by said receptacle for securing said shackle against sliding movement.

2. In a portable key safe, in combination, a receptacle having a slot therein, a key actuated lock member in said receptacle, a locking plate engageable in said opening, a ange on said plate releasablyA engaged by said lock member, and means for securing said locking plate to a stationary object, said last-mentioned means comprising a mounting plate having a pair of parallel bores therein secured to said locking plate, a' U-shaped shackle having its legs slidably mounted in said bores, and means carried by said mounting' plate and `operable from the face of said locking plate normally covered by said receptacle for securing said shackle against sliding movement, said lastmentioned means including a -spring pressed pin carried by said mounting plate, one leg of said shackle having a groove -therein normally engaged by said pin, and means extending through an opening in said locking plate for releasing said locking pin from said groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,955,809 Hobbs Apr. 24, 1934 2,629,546 Van Lahr Feb. 24, 1953 2,813,620 Hansen Nov. 19, 1957 2,911,814 Williams Nov. 10, 1959 

1. IN A PORTABLE KEY SAFE, IN COMBINATION, A RECEPTACLE HAVING A SLOT THEREIN, A KEY ACTUATED LOCK MEMBER IN SAID RECEPTACLE, A LOCKING PLATE ENGAGEABLE IN SAID OPENING, A FLANGE ON SAID PLATE RELEASABLY ENGAGED BY SAID LOCK MEMBER, AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID LOCKING PLATE TO A STATIONARY OBJECT, SAID LAST-MENTIONED MEANS COMPRISING A MOUNTING PLATE HAVING A PAIR OF PARALLEL BORES THEREIN SECURED TO SAID LOCKING PLATE, A U-SHAPED SHACKLE HAVING ITS LEGS SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID BORES, AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID MOUNTING PLATE AND OPERABLE FROM THE FACE OF SAID LOCKING PLATE NORMALLY COVERED BY SAID RECEPTACLE FOR SECURING SAID SHACKLE AGAINST SLIDING MOVEMENT. 